NC State women’s basketball opened the 2023-24 season with a bang and crushed UNC-Charlotte 84-43 at Reynolds Coliseum.
From the opening tip, it was clear that the red-and-white outclassed the 49ers in every facet of the game. The Wolfpack scorched the nets in the first quarter, outscoring Charlotte 36-8. The key to this hot start was shooting 6-9 behind the arc, taking all hope away from the 49ers by the end of the quarter.
“Just coming out and setting an example,” said junior guard Aziaha James. “You know people are looking down on us already. We don’t have nothing to lose right now.”
James finished the game with a career-high 26 points off of 7-11 shooting and five boards. In the first quarter alone, James tallied 19 points, including four triples. James is quickly emerging as a primary bucket-getter for the Pack this season after strong performances in the red-and-white’s exhibition game and season opener.
“Really proud of the start,” said head coach Wes Moore. “I thought we came out with a lot of energy and hit some shots, which always helps you with the confidence and the defensive energy.”
After a lopsided first quarter, the Wolfpack fell back to earth, only scoring five points in the second quarter. NC State went ice-cold on offense and only made one field goal in 18 attempts. NC State shot 0-10 from deep in the second.
“We kept shooting, you know, the first quarter, a little bit of fool’s gold, everything went in and so now you feel like you’re invincible,” Moore said. “So our defense kind of bailed us out there in a stretch where we weren’t scoring at all.”
After halftime, the Wolfpack regrouped and returned to playing fundamental basketball. The team viciously attacked the paint and was rewarded with 24 third quarter points. The Pack also made a game-high 12 trips to the free throw line during the quarter and headed into the fourth with a comfortable 65-32 lead.
While it took the Wolfpack until the second half to get going in the paint offensively, the red-and-white’s defense was spectacular all night long. NC State posted 10 blocks throughout the night, utilizing its length to give the 49ers nightmares in the paint. Additionally, the Wolfpack snagged 42 defensive rebounds, just over Charlotte’s total rebound tally.
“[We] fouled a little more than I would have liked,” Moore said. “Still a lot of things to clean up, but especially first half we really came out and played well defensively.”
With the game out of hand by the start of the fourth quarter, Moore allowed his freshman to rack up significant minutes. While the group stumbled at times, the players improved as the game progressed. To the delight of the crowd, freshman guard Jannah Eissa splashed a corner three and freshman guard Laci Steele hit a transition layup.
“It was good for the young players to get some playing time,” Moore said. “They’re gonna have to help us.”
One particular freshman that stood out was guard Zoe Brooks, who finished with 12 points, six boards and three assists in 29 minutes of action. While Brooks has room to improve defensively, there is no doubt that the former five-star recruit is an emerging offensive force.
“She’s a special player — she makes everyone around her better,” Moore said. “She can get her own shots and she can create for her teammates.”
After acing its first test, the Wolfpack will face a significant step up in competition in its next game when it hosts No. 2 UConn at Reynolds Coliseum. This matchup will serve as an early measuring stick for the potential of this year’s squad.
“We’re gonna have our hands full; you know it’s going to be a big challenge,” Moore said. “It’s also an opportunity: you got the chance to do something special, and you also are going to get better from it.”
The Pack’s date with the Huskies is set for 3 p.m. at Reynolds Coliseum on Sunday, Nov. 12 and will be televised on ABC.
